March 2023
27/3/23
- The republic of Vanuatu is committed to UNCLOS Article 145 and we will continue to engage in negotiations.
- As SIDS – we are at the frontlines of climate change – we are concerned about additional pressures. Vanuatu is one of the most vulnerable countries of the world.
- We join the growing calls for a precautionary pause and align with member States making this call. There are different terms that we use precautionary pause or moratorium that we are using in this context – what matters most is the actions not the words.
- Science shows that DSM will cause irreversible damage to the unique biodiversity of the deep sea. It would go beyond harming the seabed. Given the irreversible harm of DSM on the ocean, we have the following priorities:
- 1) Support growing calls for pause on DSM
- 2) RRPs should not be adopted until we have sufficient scientific information until we can be guaranteed no biodiversity loss
- 3) Ask countries to not grant any contracts, as this would be contrary to our international commitments.
24/3/23
- We would like to present preliminary views and general position about the two year rule, for lack of robust scientific information on deep sea ecosystems and biodiversity and the considerable and irreversible, my delegation aligns with member states that express the views the rules, regulations and procedures should not be adopted until we have robust scientific information about biodiversity and impacts.
- RRPs should not be adopted until it can be guaranteed that there will be no loss of biodiversity and no harm to marine environment.
- Vanuatu officially joins growing international call for precautionary pause on deep-sea mining to protect our ocean and aligns with members states of ISA making this call.
- We encourage our fellow pacific states who expressed interest in DSM to step back from the brink and join us in a precautionary approach as a region and as a world.